Ten Hag: Twente is My Most Admired Team, I Really Don’t Want to Hurt Them

On September 26 at 3 AM, in the first round of the Europa League group stage, Manchester United will host Dutch team Twente. Before the match, Manchester United’s manager Ten Hag attended the press conference where he talked about the opponent, injured players, and the goals for Manchester United in the Europa League.

When asked about facing his former club, Ten Hag said: “I would rather face another team because it doesn’t feel good to harm a team you love. Among all teams, Twente is my most admired. I admire them as a fan and supporter, not as an analyst. Twente has given me a lot; I grew up in their youth academy, and there’s so much history there for me.”

Regarding Luke Shaw, Ten Hag said: “I can’t give a specific time for his return from injury. The plan is for him to come back before the national team matches in October, but I can’t be 100% sure.”

Regarding the new Europa League format, Ten Hag said: “Obviously, there are too many games and too much competition. The players are overburdened, which isn’t good for football, although maybe it’s good for business. As a club, we can’t change this alone; it’s something that involves all clubs, players, and coaches. We need to work on this and find the right balance. We are football professionals; our income comes from here, but we need to find a balance.”

Recently, Redknapp criticized Rashford, and Ten Hag refused to respond: “I didn’t notice the criticism, and I won’t respond based on speculation.”

What are Manchester United’s goals in the Europa League? Ten Hag pointed out: “There are many ways to achieve your goals. We hope to reach the knockout stage first, but we won’t look too far ahead. We must fight one game at a time. This is our goal and the path we want to take.”